Mellott delivered a box of 10 copies of a picture book that’s definitely considered a must-have for Axiom’s coffee table in the lobby and highly recommended for Houston households. “A Pictorial History of The Houston Fire Department: 1895-1980,” co-authored by Mellott and Story Jones Sloane III, was published by Balfour Publishing and released in August.

The black-and-white photographs throughout the book span nine decades of HFD history. Historic Fire Station No. 6 (est. 1903), the current home of Axiom since February, appears on page 13 during its early years and in its present-day state in 2012. It’s the first book to include the Fire Station No. 6’s current form.

Photo sources for the book included the families of Houston firefighters; the Houston Fire Museum; and The Sloane Collection.

The book joins Houston-centric, historical picture books such as “Houston 175,” (Pediment, 2011) a compilation of Houston Chronicle photos covering significant events in the city’s 175-year history; and “Houston Deco” (Bright Sky Press, 2008) by Preservation Houston’s Jim Parsons and David Bush, which focuses on classic Houston architecture. Mellott and Jones focus entirely on Houston Fire Department buildings since the department began paying firefighters in 1895.

For more information on purchasing the HFD picture book, contact Scott Mellott at 713-598-6125 or scottmell@att.net.

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